Avengers: The Archangel Project
by Kcflyon3
Summary: (more inside) Before the Avenger...There was SHIELD. The director of hellfire and science alike was Peggy Carter herself. Before Howard Stark's death at the hands of a car accident he fished out of the ocean one of the most valuable pieces of technology ever discovered...The Tesseract. Years later a young agent by the name of Charlotte Carter wades a war of Gods and Monsters
1. Preface

PREFACE

The first time Clint Barton met Charlotte Carter was an accident.

Three am is not the usual time for gym activity, even by the agents who played resident at the infamous S.H.E.I.L.D headquarters. However, Clint could not sleep. Nightmares of his life before SHEILD as well as his latest mission in Kabul left his body full of adrenaline, a pesky substance that left him even more jittery than normal. His bag over his shoulder he absentmindedly wrapped his hands in the familiar guards as he made his way towards the gym.

The silence was welcoming, void of the sounds of metal, gunfire, and his own footsteps. Clint Barton had been deaf for almost all of his life, and even though his hearing was better than perfect with the SHEILD specialized hearing aids, he sometimes still preferred the silence. That's why he didn't notice her when he walked in. Setting down his bottle of water and bag he slipped off his shoes.

That's when he felt them.

Repetitive vibrations.

Turning he searched for the source.

She was a blur of flushed skin and auburn hair. Her movements were filled with precision, rage, and frustration. Must have been a bad night for her as well. The petite woman must have been under five foot five inches, cheeks red with exertion and sweat beading on her arms. She wore black leggings, a familiar SHEILD academy grey shirt that seemed a whole lot older than she was. It must obviously a favorite, holes in the shirt and faded words told him it was worn often. The little red blur was incredibly fast.

Clint knew that look, she may have been safe in a gym of one of the most secure buildings in the world... but to her? She wasn't really there. Her eyes (a deep flashing steel he noticed) were far away, her punches intended for an invisible target only she could see.

All too familiar with that feeling he picked up the training pads abandoned on one of the benches he took his bottle under his arm and gave her a wide birth, lord knows the consequences of sneaking up on someone when they were out-zoned.

The little woman paused the flurry of her assault when she spotted him, He had to admit she was very pretty, her eyes were deep gunmetal grey and dangerously narrowed, at the edges he would have sworn she had been crying. She raised an eyebrow at him, he only motioned towards the mats before turning on his heel. He didn't bother looking to check where she was. He could feel those gunmetal eyes on his six and that was where she stayed.

They practiced for hours. Long past the sun coming up over the floor to ceiling windows of the gym, spreading the light and clearing the shadows like cobwebs. They didn't speak. They didn't need to, and if she spoke to him? It wasn't like he could hear her. They danced. An ebbing flow of punches, jabs, and kicks. Clint barely noticed the arrival of the other agents, many of them watching the two as they danced about the ring. He didn't notice when the Director himself came to watch as the woman sidestepped and jabbed him, or when he caught her arm and threw her down, only for her to bounce back up again. It wasn't until she stepped back and put a hand up that he stopped the rhythm, they were both breathing hard, he could feel his muscles ache and stretched to pop his back. Reaching in his bag Clint tossed a full water bottle to the girl, who caught it with ease. As she took a sip he noticed the collar of her shirt slip off her shoulder, a tattoo rested there, on the back of her right shoulder blade. A rose with airplane wings, three rings at its center in black and white on her tanned skin.

Exhausted Clint picked up his bag and nodded to her but she wasn't looking at him. Following her sharp eyes, it shocked him. Director Fury stared down the young girl with a questioning eye, usually, any new recruit as young as she was would have cowered under it, but she stood her ground.

Pushing the thought aside he was in desperate need of coffee and a shower. He was halfway down the hall and out the exit before he felt a hand lightly touch his shoulder.

Little red must have been running because she was breathing hard again, "hey sorry I didn't catch your name" she said, Clint could read her lips. Internally he could feel a pang of emotion through him. It wasn't that he was ashamed of being deaf, no that had passed a long time ago, it was the annoyance that other people thought it affected the job that pissed him off. Subconsciously he sighed "hold on a moment" as he reached in his bag for a price of paper only to have her stop him.

At that moment she surprised him.

For the first time all morning she gave him a smile, raising her hands she formed a familiar language he was able to read

"Oh! My bad, it's nice to meet you Mister, my name is Charlotte"

The woman signed, No, Charlotte signed. Clint smiled despite himself pushing his bag back on his shoulder so his hands were free, "My name is Clint, it's nice to meet you Charlotte".

The beaming grin on her face was worth it, so different from the woman he had seen in her own personal hell when he met her this morning. He could help himself, he wanted to see that smile again.

"Well I should be going..." she signed with a sigh and walking past him as he turned to watch her go "Thank you for this morning Clint" she signed over her shoulder with a wave, before disappearing down the hall.

"Well that was interesting," he thought to himself, before entering the locker room for a long-awaited shower.

—-

Now showered and shaved Clint made his way to the mess hall. If that's what you could call the huge cafeteria that had everything and a Starbucks in it. Picking up some much-needed coffee and some food he made his way to the table containing his strike team. The few people he was familiar with were scattered about the table, none of them seeming to be able to sit in a chair correctly. Anderson, Remington, Rumlow, Anna, and Daniel. All of them in various stages of eating, talking or irritating each other. Clint plopped down and snatched the salt to sprinkle it on his eggs and looked up to see what caught everyone's attention.

"So you met the new girl huh?" Remington asked almost bouncing on the edge of her seat, her eyes blown out wide. Clint raised an eyebrow with a mouthful of egg, glancing at Anna to translate the hyperactive brunette "she means we all saw you sparring with one of the new academy kids, Charlie? Harlow? Something ..." she stoic girl waved her spoon off rolling her eyes. Clint snorted a laugh, Harlow? "You mean Charlotte?" He corrected. This caught the attention of those around him. Anna snorted at Remington's excitable squeal "yeah! Have you heard the rumors? How did you meet?" Firing questions a mile a minute at a very confused Clint.

Rumlow rolled his eye with a snort taking a sip of his green colored smoothie "Let the man breathe Jesus!" he chuckled. Clint leaned back, balancing his chair on its back legs as he sighed. "Rough night, went to the gym" he shrugged "Looked like she needed a partner. I offered" he took another sip of his coffee, wincing as it had gone slightly colder than he liked while he was eating.

Anna huffed and let out a very unladylike snort in disappointment as her dreams of a whirlwind matchmaking office romances were dashed. Daniel let out a chuckle at the brunettes antics as he took off his old ratty ball cap and ran his hand over his buzz cut hair " Word on the street is she was called out of the Academy early on special request for a mission in Marrakesh, Operation Gemini, a suspected assassination of a nuclear physicist and other blah, blah, blah science stuff." This caught everyone's attention, Operation Gemini was a big win for SHEILD, although the CIA took most of the credit for the logistics and international relations involved. It was an absolute mess that was still being cleaned up in the higher-ups at this very moment. Putting his cap firmly back on his head Daniel leaned forward and the rest of them did too, eager to hear "So the guy was killed right? Extraction was a borderline complete failure and they had like a four-member team, all I heard this morning was that everything was thought to be completely lost of the guys intel, asset terminated... but" Daniel talked with his hands " Rumor has it the girl, Charlotte, she got back to debrief and basically recreated the notes right down to the handwriting, like a human scanner. The CIA doesn't even have the info man, its crazy!" Rumlow let out a low whistle.

Damn.

Clint was actually impressed at the fact she could remember everything in such perfect detail, the packet he heard about music have been 30 to 60 pages long. However, Operation Gemini and probably the slew of others the girl may or may not have been on were a damn good reason for her to be off like she was earlier that morning.

Buzzzzzzz Buzzzz Buzzzzzzz

The sound of the mission pager on his wrist interrupted the speculation, Rumlow checked it first and sighed " Suit up, eta an hour, third floor" a collective sigh ran through Strike team Delta as they stood. Back to work, Clint grumbled to himself.


	2. Chapter 1: Little Red

PREFACE

The first time Clint Barton met Charlotte Carter was an accident.

Three am is not the usual time for gym activity, even by the agents who played resident at the infamous S.H.E.I.L.D headquarters. However, Clint could not sleep. Nightmares of his life before SHEILD as well as his latest mission in Kabul left his body full of adrenaline, a pesky substance that left him even more jittery than normal. His bag over his shoulder he absentmindedly wrapped his hands in the familiar guards as he made his way towards the gym.

The silence was welcoming, void of the sounds of metal, gunfire, and his own footsteps. Clint Barton had been deaf for almost all of his life, and even though his hearing was better than perfect with the SHEILD specialized hearing aids, he sometimes still preferred the silence. That's why he didn't notice her when he walked in. Setting down his bottle of water and bag he slipped off his shoes.

That's when he felt them.

Repetitive vibrations.

Turning he searched for the source.

She was a blur of flushed skin and auburn hair. Her movements were filled with precision, rage, and frustration. Must have been a bad night for her as well. The petite woman must have been under five foot five inches, cheeks red with exertion and sweat beading on her arms. She wore black leggings, a familiar SHEILD academy grey shirt that seemed a whole lot older than she was. It must obviously a favorite, holes in the shirt and faded words told him it was worn often. The little red blur was incredibly fast.

Clint knew that look, she may have been safe in a gym of one of the most secure buildings in the world... but to her? She wasn't really there. Her eyes (a deep flashing steel he noticed) were far away, her punches intended for an invisible target only she could see.

All too familiar with that feeling he picked up the training pads abandoned on one of the benches he took his bottle under his arm and gave her a wide birth, lord knows the consequences of sneaking up on someone when they were out-zoned.

The little woman paused the flurry of her assault when she spotted him, He had to admit she was very pretty, her eyes were deep gunmetal grey and dangerously narrowed, at the edges he would have sworn she had been crying. She raised an eyebrow at him, he only motioned towards the mats before turning on his heel. He didn't bother looking to check where she was. He could feel those gunmetal eyes on his six and that was where she stayed.

They practiced for hours. Long past the sun coming up over the floor to ceiling windows of the gym, spreading the light and clearing the shadows like cobwebs. They didn't speak. They didn't need to, and if she spoke to him? It wasn't like he could hear her. They danced. An ebbing flow of punches, jabs, and kicks. Clint barely noticed the arrival of the other agents, many of them watching the two as they danced about the ring. He didn't notice when the Director himself came to watch as the woman sidestepped and jabbed him, or when he caught her arm and threw her down, only for her to bounce back up again. It wasn't until she stepped back and put a hand up that he stopped the rhythm, they were both breathing hard, he could feel his muscles ache and stretched to pop his back. Reaching in his bag Clint tossed a full water bottle to the girl, who caught it with ease. As she took a sip he noticed the collar of her shirt slip off her shoulder, a tattoo rested there, on the back of her right shoulder blade. A rose with airplane wings, three rings at its center in black and white on her tanned skin.

Exhausted Clint picked up his bag and nodded to her but she wasn't looking at him. Following her sharp eyes, it shocked him. Director Fury stared down the young girl with a questioning eye, usually, any new recruit as young as she was would have cowered under it, but she stood her ground.

Pushing the thought aside he was in desperate need of coffee and a shower. He was halfway down the hall and out the exit before he felt a hand lightly touch his shoulder.

Little red must have been running because she was breathing hard again, "hey sorry I didn't catch your name" she said, Clint could read her lips. Internally he could feel a pang of emotion through him. It wasn't that he was ashamed of being deaf, no that had passed a long time ago, it was the annoyance that other people thought it affected the job that pissed him off. Subconsciously he sighed "hold on a moment" as he reached in his bag for a price of paper only to have her stop him.

At that moment she surprised him.

For the first time all morning she gave him a smile, raising her hands she formed a familiar language he was able to read

"Oh! My bad, it's nice to meet you Mister, my name is Charlotte"

The woman signed, No, Charlotte signed. Clint smiled despite himself pushing his bag back on his shoulder so his hands were free, "My name is Clint, it's nice to meet you Charlotte".

The beaming grin on her face was worth it, so different from the woman he had seen in her own personal hell when he met her this morning. He could help himself, he wanted to see that smile again.

"Well I should be going..." she signed with a sigh and walking past him as he turned to watch her go "Thank you for this morning Clint" she signed over her shoulder with a wave, before disappearing down the hall.

"Well that was interesting," he thought to himself, before entering the locker room for a long-awaited shower.

—-

Now showered and shaved Clint made his way to the mess hall. If that's what you could call the huge cafeteria that had everything and a Starbucks in it. Picking up some much-needed coffee and some food he made his way to the table containing his strike team. The few people he was familiar with were scattered about the table, none of them seeming to be able to sit in a chair correctly. Anderson, Remington, Rumlow, Anna, and Daniel. All of them in various stages of eating, talking or irritating each other. Clint plopped down and snatched the salt to sprinkle it on his eggs and looked up to see what caught everyone's attention.

"So you met the new girl huh?" Remington asked almost bouncing on the edge of her seat, her eyes blown out wide. Clint raised an eyebrow with a mouthful of egg, glancing at Anna to translate the hyperactive brunette "she means we all saw you sparring with one of the new academy kids, Charlie? Harlow? Something ..." she stoic girl waved her spoon off rolling her eyes. Clint snorted a laugh, Harlow? "You mean Charlotte?" He corrected. This caught the attention of those around him. Anna snorted at Remington's excitable squeal "yeah! Have you heard the rumors? How did you meet?" Firing questions a mile a minute at a very confused Clint.

Rumlow rolled his eye with a snort taking a sip of his green colored smoothie "Let the man breathe Jesus!" he chuckled. Clint leaned back, balancing his chair on its back legs as he sighed. "Rough night, went to the gym" he shrugged "Looked like she needed a partner. I offered" he took another sip of his coffee, wincing as it had gone slightly colder than he liked while he was eating.

Anna huffed and let out a very unladylike snort in disappointment as her dreams of a whirlwind matchmaking office romances were dashed. Daniel let out a chuckle at the brunettes antics as he took off his old ratty ball cap and ran his hand over his buzz cut hair " Word on the street is she was called out of the Academy early on special request for a mission in Marrakesh, Operation Gemini, a suspected assassination of a nuclear physicist and other blah, blah, blah science stuff." This caught everyone's attention, Operation Gemini was a big win for SHEILD, although the CIA took most of the credit for the logistics and international relations involved. It was an absolute mess that was still being cleaned up in the higher-ups at this very moment. Putting his cap firmly back on his head Daniel leaned forward and the rest of them did too, eager to hear "So the guy was killed right? Extraction was a borderline complete failure and they had like a four-member team, all I heard this morning was that everything was thought to be completely lost of the guys intel, asset terminated... but" Daniel talked with his hands " Rumor has it the girl, Charlotte, she got back to debrief and basically recreated the notes right down to the handwriting, like a human scanner. The CIA doesn't even have the info man, its crazy!" Rumlow let out a low whistle.

Damn.

Clint was actually impressed at the fact she could remember everything in such perfect detail, the packet he heard about music have been 30 to 60 pages long. However, Operation Gemini and probably the slew of others the girl may or may not have been on were a damn good reason for her to be off like she was earlier that morning.

Buzzzzzzz Buzzzz Buzzzzzzz

The sound of the mission pager on his wrist interrupted the speculation, Rumlow checked it first and sighed " Suit up, eta an hour, third floor" a collective sigh ran through Strike team Delta as they stood. Back to work, Clint grumbled to himself.


	3. Chapter 2 : Late Nights

It wasn't until a week and a half later he saw her again, fully, anyway. The team had been gone a week on an off-book mission in Lenora, Sweden, and then days of debriefing, medical, and overall a predictable protocol pile of crap Clint could entirely do without.

He had spotted her a few times, she had been sitting with a dark-skinned girl talking, another time carrying files down the hall looking as if she was intending to cut someone's throat with them, another time was speaking adamantly with who he recognized as a few of the scientist from the research division.

It took him almost another week to notice it had become a pattern...

A habit...

To see if he could find Charlotte in the room.

Seeking out the redhead was like catching a white rabbit in the snow, somehow she could disappear in a crowded room, and yet when she wanted to, she could command it. The file Remington had somehow found on her was extraordinary, top of her class in weapons training, espionage, forgery, lower ranks in computer technology but her language skills were off the charts.

Anna apparently had only bumped into her once, the redhead caught the brunette and gave her a small smile, picking up the papers she had dropped and handed them back. It was rather a mystery because Charlotte had never spoken to her during the whole interaction.

Clint had pushed it from his mind, he had a few days off from the mission before he undoubtedly would be called into another one, and he planned on enjoying them.

However, his brain had other ideas.

So, he found himself staring at the ceiling again well before dawn. Awoken at this ungodly hour but the loud sound of chopper blades in his ears, only to remember they were just inside his head. Pausing, he listened closely, no one else was awake... most likely the whole base was still snoozing.

So not only was Clint Barton awake before God and country... he couldn't go back to sleep.

With a sigh he rubbed his face and stood, after a quick shower he pulled on some clothes and grabbed his gym bag, not bothering to take his hearing aids off he simply adjusted the volume to a normal range and locked the door behind him.

He was right in the fact no one in this wing was awake, the door to the gym beeped as he scanned his card to enter.

But, this time he could hear her.

Bap,

Bap Bap

Bap

Thwack

The rhythmic sounds on a leather punching bag. Clint walked forward quicker.

It was her alright.

Charlotte looked mad, very mad. Her neat braid was entirely undone, red tresses swinging and snapping as she dodged, landing hit after hit on the surface. Her teeth were bared and clearly clenched, shoulders tense and whole body wound tighter than a bowstring.

So Clint did the only thing he knew.

" Well Good Morning Sunshine" he hollered with a smirk.

To say it startled the girl would be an understatement.

She must have hit the bag a little too hard because when she turned to give him a death glare it swung back full force and knocked her to the ground.

Clint chocked on his laughter.

She looked shocked, her face red and clearly very annoyed, however, she had a million different emotions across her face in an instant, and then nothing at all.

" Agent Barton," she said, voice colder than a Russian winter. " if the Director sent you to talk to me you can tell him where to stuff it". She snapped and pushed her self off the ground, regarding Clint's outstretched hand (an attempt at helping the little thing off the ground) like a slimy lizard. Without another word she turned back to her own bag and took a sip of water.

To say he was confused would be like calling the Washington monument a toothpick.

" Okay... you lost me" he admitted.

She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow and finished a chug of her drink. He couldn't help but notice her eyes were steel grey, a cross between the hull of a ship and a silver bullet,where the other day he would have sworn they were blue.

Rolling his stiff shoulders he put his bag down on a bench and took a seat " I haven't talked to Fury in over a week? I'm all for telling him to stick it... but gotta give me something for him to stick doll" he glanced down to tie his sneaker.

Silence answered him and then a answer " Why are you here Clint?" Her voice was low, not quite hostile, but dangerously still, a hint of an accent peaking through, it dawned on him this is the first time he's actually heart her voice in person.

Standing he stretched his arms, guess it wouldn't hurt to tell the truth his conscious chided him.

" Mission got back bout a half a week ago? Got a few days off ... couldn't sleep" he shrugged. Okay, almost the truth, not a lie? Right? Eh it would have to do.

Her face told him she believed him, however her body was still tense. She looked good, tired, but good, red sports brah and a holy black shirt over leggings and tennis shoes. When the t shirt shifted he could see the rose on her shoulder, when it shifted again he swore more ink adorned her abdomen and ribs.

Finally, she nodded her head that she believed him. Only to open her mouth " So cochlear or partial" she asked, oh she definitely had an accent he just could place it. The question threw him off entirely.

Subconsciously he reached his hand to touch the hearing aids placed almost invisibly behind his ears. Clint looked at her, almost gone was the steel edge.

Seemingly replaced by curiosity and no ill intent . " electromagnetic connector chip in the hearing aid, they won't fall off in a mission unless I take them off" he stated. She simply nodded.

Leaning back against the stand Clint crossed his arms over his chest " So what about you ? How'd you learn to sign ?" A flicker crossed her face and he almost regretted asking " A childhood friend of mine had a deaf sibling, they taught me when I was young, I had a knack for it" she shrugged. Clint didn't press it.

"So what's got ya all worked up? Like I said" he chuckled at the thought "

I'm all for the sticking but Director Fury? That comes with a high asking price. What did Eye Patch do now?" He couldn't help but watch her face morph once again. A flash of regret, frustration, anger, and slight amusement at his flippant tone.

Clint felt his own lips turn up in a grin as he could see hers quirk into a small smile. Only to have it overwhelmed by the emotional ticks of someone highly irritated and disappointed. with a sigh she moved her hands to her hair up in a pony tail before securing it with a band. " I just wish I was in for more field work ya know ?" Clint did, but he let her continue " I didn't come here for research , I came here to do good, to serve my country, not sit in a lab"

Charlotte looked to her feet and brushed a hair out of her face, Clint listened intently " I have more skills than what's in my head you know ? I just wish people could see that. " the archer nodded " So you wanted to be in the field ? I'm guessing whatever research they have you doing is probably excruciatingly boring anyway... all that science stuff" he rolled his eyes and she laughed.

Charlotte giggled.

Her lips spread into a smile as she did and for some reason he couldn't resist watching her. " No ! That's no it at all!" She laughed pushing away from where she had been leaning. " The algorithm I'm working on just seems like something you would find anywhere, I mean... if I just wanted to do basic Quantum guidance recognition... I would have stayed at the University".

In all honesty he had no idea what she was talking about.

Clint was suddenly adding reasons to the list of why he liked the way he noticed little things ( They didn't call him Hawkeye for nothing).

He took note of how she talked with her hands, almost as if she was seeing the numbers before her eyes as she talked very adamantly about her research.

" ... it would enable us to alter the structure and function of basic human mechanical flight" she stated.

Clint nodded once again, and raised an eye brow as the girl picked up the tape beginning to rewrap her knuckles " What do you say ? One round ? An apology for my tone earlier?" Barton matched her smile.

They sparred until past dawn.


	4. Chapter 3: Vienna

The first time the Delta Strike Team met Charlotte was in the dark halls of a mission in Vienna, Italy. The time was 0400 hours and the mission was scheduled for an extraction of a man by the name of Khalid Johari. The team was gearing up, Clint pulling his bow across his shoulders, his guns and knives in their holsters. Anna was her usually quiet self as she nervously ran her poker knife along a sharpener, a habit when she wanted to keep herself awake.

"Team" Fury's gruff voice called them to attention. The older man regarded them with his customary black trench coat, eye patch, and scowl. "You have 12 hours to extract the target, Agent Carter is running point on this and you will be meeting them at the location." A chorus of ' yes sir' followed and Agent Coulson passed out the briefing packet. The Director eyed them all and then with a turn of his "cape" left them as the jet's doors closed.

—

Vienna, Italy

2100 hours

The grand ballroom was alight with dancers; millionaires, billionaires, and businessmen. Women from all over the world in dresses that cost more than most people's fortunes milled about the room. The small orchestra played low music, the champagne flowed freely.

A very nice place to set eyes on their target.

Khalid was in fact supposed to be at this event, his date for the evening a supposed high escort he has been doting in for the last three months or so. The pictures of her had been non conclusive at best, flashes of blonde hair, she certainly knew how to hide her face. Anna's theory of turning her as an asset was denied repeatedly by their handler at SHEILD.

As of now, Clint was very very uncomfortable. The suit fit him perfectly, a product of the agency having his measurements on file no doubt. The black jacket, tie, and loafers made him feel out of place, personally, he preferred a good pair of jeans, a flannel maybe. He did not feel as comfortable as Daniel appeared to be. The older agent's suit was similar to Barton's, only he had a lovely burgundy gowned Remington on his arm.

"Target spotted, Barton on your 9" came Rumlow through his comms.

Using the waiter with a glass as a means to turn his head he found the

'Debonair' businessman. Khalid was laughing with a group of other men, all dressed in suits seemingly made of the finest, he was almost clearly intoxicated. His laughter was a little too loud, his face a little too flushed to be entirely sober.

"Make an approach?" Remington looked up to Daniel, flashing a smile as if what she had asked was funny. Rumlow answered " Negative, Keep an eye for our contact, they haven't been spotted, Hawk doesn't have his date" Their observatory agent chuckled, Clint had to urge to whack him.

When they had arrived at their safe-house earlier the day before they were surprised to find it was empty, although it seemed they have been occupied by a female only the night before. Their outfits were laid out neatly and a note told them all they needed to know. Agent Carter was a female and would be attending the event with them. Meeting them there later that night.

So far, no indication she was here. The laughter of the night and slow music made Clint glad he help a glass full of the bubbly liquid. He wouldn't get drunk of course, it took hard liquor for that. But it quelled the uneasy feeling he had at the back of his neck.

From where he was he could visibly see Khalid's whole demeanor change, his back was straightened, a borderline malicious smile passed his lips. His gaze towards the other end of the room.

At that moment, Clint Barton's stomach dropped.

The moment she walked into the room it was as if she had her very own gravity

The moment she walked into the room it was as if she had her very own gravity. Moving people out of the way with a sweep of her eyes.

A deep royal blue dress flowed around her as she walked, striding forward as if the sea would part for her. Blonde hair curled up into a golden net that matched the touches of metal on her waist, wrist, and neck. Deep shining blue eyes were soft and alight with warmth and innocence, head held high.

Charlotte.

"Holy..." Anna cursed.

Khalid's arm opened and Clint watched as it snaked around the slim waist of the SHIELD agent, pulling her a little too rough for it to be endearing. The blonde simply plucked the glass from the nearby waiter and sipped it lightly.

"Pretty. Isn't she?" Came a voice, Clint shook out of his daze to see a young woman beside him. She was short, brown hair pulled to the side and her glass beaded dress glittered under the lights. Her accent was distinctly English and very curt." You're not the first to watch her, and you won't be the last" she scoffed. Clint turned to face her fully "I don't believe we have met? Clark Foster" he offered her his hand. She took it, regarding him with a seeming cold indifference, when he noticed her carefully placed bangle.

Silver, laced with a binary code he was familiar with, the shape of a brilliant British emblem.

Bloody hell.

MI6

The woman didn't bother to acknowledge his realization, instead focusing back on the blonde they had been discussing. "It's a bloody shame they allow women like her in this place, the bedroom I understand" she waved her gloves hand" but in public, that's a disgrace."

White hot anger rolled through him, however, he took a sip of his drink and listened. He was definitely confused "I thought it was common practice actually, wouldn't be the first time a lady has escorted a gentleman to an event" he shrugged.

The woman (whose name was Louisa, from what Rem mentioned after a sting of curses in his ear) raised an eyebrow, letting out an amused sound. "She isn't an escort, at least those have some sort of dignity,"

Okay. Now he was determined to find out.

Louisa glanced up at the man before slashing an eye-rolling grin "Oh my dear sweet American, the woman is a submissive" she whispered. Now he got it. Didn't believe it for a moment. But he understood her attitude.

He glanced closer and the subtlety was there. Charlotte's ankle held a small golden bangle seemingly too tight to be able to slip on or off. Khalid was possessive, always having to have her in his sights, his eyes following her as if she was a doe and he a cat, this wasn't doting love, or a passing fling, it was physical ownership. It made his stomach churn. This mission was dangerous, even more so now.

"You should see her without the makeup, poor thing, looks like she got hit by a MAC truck" the woman snorted. Clint caught Remington's eyes as she moved alone with Daniel towards Khalid.

The businessman noticed the two moving towards him, sending Remington a charming smile. "Welcome friends" he exclaimed and one arm to shake hands while the other had his nails into the bare back of Charlotte's skin. "It's a pleasure to meet you Sir" came Remington's cool tone, she must have heard Louisa's commentary. The blonde lowered her eyes and bared her neck towards the man, it was subtle, but it made the Saurian man's eyes narrow predatorily, with an almost malicious glint. Daniel pretended not to notice and continued to speak "Your work is extraordinary, I am a large fan of you manufacturing construct" Daniel prattles, Khalid's gaze seemed to lock into Remington whose bashful eyes fluttered.

It always occurred to Clint that the usually stoic blonde could lay it on thick when she wanted to.

Khalid gave a smirk to Daniel, who was talking regarding the information on his current deal with the Dutch. Clint felt a hand slip into his elbow, "Come with me " Louisa pulled him towards the floor, and he thanked the lucky stars he had learned how to dance. The music caused them to sway, Clint leading them to the smooth jazz, his eyes careful not to leave the sight of his partners for too long.

"Your very good at what you do Agent" the little woman in his arms let off a trademark grin. Barton felt his body tense as he turned her about the floor. A million possibilities running through his mind in a second... the op could be an international shit show if it was compromised.

"Relax archer," the British dame pressed her head into his shoulder, silencing her words from any outside ears. "I not here on official business, only as a favor to sunshine over there" she flickered her eyes towards the blue-clad mistress that was now being ushered out of the room by a slightly staggering Khalid, with the two American agents in tow. Clint twirled the brunette, this somewhat placed his mind deeper into the state of alert. However, Louisa continues "We were being listened to before, do me a favor and keep the... commentary amongst yourselves? Hm?" She chided with a grin.

"The drinks been spiked Barton, keep an eye on target" Rumlow's voice echoed through coms. Clint was eager to have his eye on the blonde only for the British agent to gather has attention as she subtly slipped a syringe into his cuff. Her voice barely audible "She will need this for her plan, checkpoint safe house" and with that he watched as the undercover agent walked away, plucking a final glass as she left.

Externally: He was the picture of cool as he turned to exit the dance floor

Internally: he was screaming,

They were gone.

—

The laughter and music from the party drifted upward as he linked arms with the British dame by the door. She held a kind of smirk as she clung to his arm, leaning in the way that suggested she was his latest conquest and was being led to an awaiting feather bed in the upper rooms.

The receptionist gave them no trouble as Louisa's heels clicked across the marble floor and towards the elevator. The doorman allowing them a sly eye roll as Clint slipped his hand around her waist a little lower than he should have. In all honesty, he was worried, Rumlow informed him the two couples were in the room at the penthouse, top floor, and he had lost visual but then the audio was in full swing.

As the elevator doors shut the brunette moved away from him like the plague. "Ugh! Undercover is not my cup of tea" she snarked and much to his surprise hiked up her leg and reached down, he almost blushed.

Almost

After a second and a click two handguns came free from wherever she had somehow hidden them. Reaching once again she pulled a black cord from around her ankle and placed the circular band in her mouth. Her eyes caught his "mwhat" she scoffed, Clint held up his hands in defense "Just wondering what the band was for? Gonna choke someone out English?"

Wrong answer

Very wrong answer

The brown haired woman looked offended for a second, as if she was biting back a retort. Instead, she laughed, " Seriously?!" She chuckled Clint rolled his eyes " What's it gonna do redcoat, I'm not one for surprises" Louisa looked as if she was contemplating it for a moment "it's a highly classified explosive we haven't exposed to the rest of the agency quite yet, very discrete" she nodded with a strait face. The American spy reeled back in shock " No way..." he narrowed his eyes with a breath, he didn't finish his comment as Louisa burst out laughing pulling the black band from between her teeth with a grin " It's a hair tie you bloody moron" she teased. Slipping the band on her wrist she yanked her curls into a high pony tail out of her face.

Okay... he earned that one.

The elevator dinged, "mission time" he thought to himself.


End file.
